Moon Bin, of K-Pop group Astro, dies at 25; bandmates ‘in enormous grief and sorrow’
Moon Bin, a member of the popular K-pop group Astro, died Wednesday. He was 25.
Yonhap News TV, citing an unnamed police source, said the singer and actor died by suicide. Moon’s manager alerted the police after finding him unconscious, the Korean-language outlet reported.
Moon’s agency, Fantagio Music, confirmed the K-pop star’s death in a statement shared to Twitter, writing, “On April 19, Moonbin of ASTRO left us suddenly and became a star in the sky. It can’t compare to the grief felt by the loved ones, but fellow ASTRO members and artists and staff of Fantagio are all in enormous grief and sorrow, mourning his loss.
The demands of the K-pop industry, and the intensity of the artist-fan relationship, can be double-edged swords, as an increasing number of stars can attest.
“Although it cannot compare to the grief of the bereaved family that had to part with their beloved son and brother, his fellow artists and the staff here at Fantagio, who have been together with him for a long time, are also deeply mourning the departed amidst tremendous shock and sorrow,” the statement continued.
“It pains us even more to have to convey this sudden news to the fans who have given their unsparing love and support to Moonbin. Because we know all too well just how unparalleled the departed [Moon Bin] was in his love for his fans, whom he was constantly thinking of, the grief is all the more overwhelming.”
The agency added that Moon Bin’s family is requesting a funeral with “family, close friends, and agency colleagues in attendance” to allow everyone to “respectfully mourn the departed and say their goodbyes.” The label also asked the media to refrain from speculative or malicious reports.
Moon, who was also part of the group’s sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha, debuted in 2009 as a child actor in the popular K-drama “Boys Over Flowers”.” His group Astro debuted in 2016 with its first EP, “Spring Up.” In 2019, Astro released its debut album, “All Light,” which topped the Korean charts.
In addition to performing in the group, Moon was also a member of the “Saturday Night Live Korea” crew in 2022 and acted in dramas including “At Eighteen.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and the shifting attitude on mental health in Korean culture pushed more Korean Americans to seek therapy for the first time.
In a 2022 Cosmopolitan interview, Moon Bin was asked what he would do if he were an angel who could do one good thing.
“I want to give one more chance to those who died by suicide,” he said. “Even though we don’t know what happens in our life, we don’t always live our lives thinking about death. Even having happy thoughts like what to eat today and what to wear tomorrow is enough to occupy a whole day, so to see someone ending their lives is so tragic and sorry.”
Moon Bin is survived by his parents and his younger sister, Moon Sua, who is a member of the K-pop girl group Billlie.
Police told Yonhap News TV that an autopsy is planned.
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